Grease-cup.



No. 784,395. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

J. B. HALL.

GREASE 0UP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1904.

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UNITED STATES Patented March 7, 1905.

JAMES BASOOM HALL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GREASE-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,395, dated March '7, 1905.

Application filed June 7,1904. Serial No. 211,490.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES BASCOM HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grease-Cups, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in grease-cups used for lubricating machinery. These improvements relate to the entire cup and all its parts, but more particularly to the use and construction of the internal supplemental cup.

The object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive and effective grease-cup which will be automatic and positive in its action; and it consists in the novel construction and adaptation of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a grease-cup embodying my invention shown attached to a journal-box, also in vertical section. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken on broken lines 2 2 and 3 3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

In the said drawings the reference-letter (t represents the outer cup or casing, having the shape, preferably, of an inverted cone, terminatii'ig in a hollow stem 7), and which is suitably secured, as by screw-threads c, to a journal-box or the like. Interiorly of the said casing is an inner cup or grease-receptacle e of similar shape, except that the flaring portion f thereof is made corrugated, and its hollow stem is of somewhat smaller diameter in order to provide an annular space /b external of the last-named stem. The aforesaid corrugations of the cup 0 are made by fluting thesame radially, thus forming a series of longitudinal con-vex ridges 7', adapted to contact with the inner surface a" of the casing u and a plurality of channels 2', which communicate at their lower ends with the annular space /i. A suitable cover Z: is provided for the case a and may advantageously be connected thereto by screw-threads I. For convenience in removing the inner cup 0 for filling I provide on the latter a finger graspingtab m. As aforementioned, the inner cup is charged with grease, from whence under the action of heat it flows as a liquid through the outlet in the stem g to the journal.

The advantages of the invention reside in the fact that it is easily filled and kept clean, the annular passage 71 admits heat from the journal to contact with the outer surface of the cup e along the channels I, and the heat, acting through the relatively thin metal of the receptacle 0, dissolves the grease lying against the inner surface and causes it to flow downwardly and lubricate the journal. It will be obviousfrom the foregoing that the grease will be automatically delivered to the journal according to the amount of heat generated thereat and will vary in quantity corresponding to the required duty.

It will bev observed from the construction illustrated that the receptacle 0 rests loosely in the casing a, with the lower end of the stem g contacting with the shaft. As a result, the receptacle is free to move vertically and shift laterally to a limited extent under the influence of any irregular-ties in the surface of the shaft and in so doingis subjected to aslightagitation or vibration, which aidsin feeding the lubricant downward through the stem. This action is facilitated by the provision of vertical rods 2", in the present instance'two in number,extending longitudinally through the stem of the receptacle a with their upper ends loosely guided and sustained by perforated lugs 1?, extending inward from the inner side of the stem, and their lower ends resting loosely on the shaft. During the rotation of the shaft these rods become heated from the friction and act to liquefy the lubricant and cause it to flow freely. The heat generated by the friction of the shaft on the stem of the receptacle 0 acts through the annular space It, surrounding the stem, and thence through the series of channels '5, which communicate with said space along the outer surface of the body of the receptacle throughout its entire extent, so that the lubricant in the cup is subjected to a heating action over its entire surface, which .will cause it to liquefy and flow freely down through the stem and to the shaft-bearing.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A grease-cup, comprising an external casing having a contracted opening at its lower end, an internal grease-receptacle havinga hollow stem projecting through the said opening of the casing so as to provide an annular space about the said stem, the said internal receptacle being provided with a series of radiallydisposed corrugations, substantially as described, constituting in connection with the casing a series of channels in which the heat acts on the outer surface of the receptacle.

2. In a grease-cup the combination with the outer casing havinga contracted opening leading therefrom to the rotating member to be lubricated, of a grease receptacle seated loosely in said casing, and provided with a stem extendingin said contracted opening with its lower end resting loosely on the rotating member.

3. In a grease-cup the combination with an external casing having a contracted opening at its lower end leading to the rotating part to be lubricated, of a grease-receptacle seated in said casing and provided with a stem extending in the contracted opening and of a diameter to leave an annular space around the stem, said receptacle and easing being formed relatively to leave a series of radial channels between them communicating with the annular space; whereby the heat generated by the bearing will act through said channels oh the surface of the receptacle and liquefy the lubricant therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses."

JAMES BASCOM HALL.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. NooN, Ross W. TULLooH. 

